Fiona
Fiona was coined by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in the 1760s, who claimed to have translated ancient Gaelic poems by "Ossian." The poems were later revealed to be largely Macpherson's own invention, but the name stuck. Fiona is the feminine of "Fionn" (the Irish hero Finn MacCool), from the Celtic "fionn" — meaning white, fair, or clear. The name thus describes someone fair-haired or fair-skinned. Fiona was rare until the 1990s. It entered the US top 1000 in 1994 and the top 200 in 2010. The driver was partly the broader trend toward Celtic names and partly the character Princess Fiona in the "Shrek" films (2001-2010), voiced by Cameron Diaz. Fiona Apple (born 1977), the singer-songwriter whose 1996 debut "Tidal" made her a star at 18, gave the name a serious musical association. I find Fiona has a soft, lyrical sound — the "F" opening is gentle, and the "o" and "a" vowels give it openness. The "io" cluster is unusual in English female names. The name sounds both Scottish and contemporary, which is exactly the combination that drives many modern revivals. Fiona is a female name of Scottish Gaelic origin that means "White, fair (from Fionn)". Soft, lyrical, and quietly strong. The name sounds Scottish. Fionas tend to be artistic. US top 200 since 2010. Well-known people named Fiona include Fiona Apple (singer), Princess Fiona (Shrek), Fiona Shaw (actress), Fiona (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Fiona include Fionn (Irish male), Fionnuala (Irish elaboration), Ffion (Welsh), Fiona (used across English).